Title: The Big Day
Author: Melilot Hill
Beta: Llinos
Summary: The Took children are making preparations for an upcoming celebration.
Rating: G
Disclaimer: The characters and settings belong to J.R.R. Tolkien
Note 1: Written for Marigold’s challenge #11. This Challenge has a festive theme and your hobbity story should be about a holiday, or a special event or celebration.
Note 2: I loosely based this story on the Catholic tradition of children going from door to door on Epiphany, dressed as the three wise men, singing a song and asking for a treat. Of course there’s also a resemblance to Halloween :)

The Big Day

“I guess you want me to be the scarecrow again, tomorrow?” Vinca asked her older sisters, not at all pleased with the idea.

“Didn’t I tell you? I decided not to join you, but stay home to help mother instead.”

“Oh Pearl, why would you do that? Pimmie said a little dismayed. “It’s not going to be the same without you.”

“I’ll be 20 soon. I’m just too old to go from smial to smial asking for sweets, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I guess so, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Pimmie sighed. “What would people think if it would be just a grumpy old scarecrow knocking on their door?”

“Hey! I’m not grumpy!” Objected Vinca. “And what do you mean by just a scarecrow? Aren’t you going either?”

“I’m not sure,” was the mumbled answer.

“Wonderful!” Vinca sulked, staring at her mathematics problem she had been working on earlier.

“Come on, you two,” Pearl intervened. I’m sure Pimmie still wants to go if you’ll promise to wear that scarecrow costume without complaining,” she continued, looking at Vinca.

At that moment Pippin burst into the room. “Why are you talking about scarecrows?”

“You are too curious for your own good,” Pearl said, taking Pippin on her lap. “And I’m sure you know that tomorrow’s Scarecrow Night.”

“Is that when everybody gives you lots of sweets?”

“You only think with your tummy, don’t you?” Pearl asked, giving said stomach a tickle for good measure, making Pippin shriek with laughter. “I shall tell you the proper meaning,” she continued when her brother’s laughter had subdued. “Every year after the harvest there is the Harvest Festival. It’s the grown-ups’ way to show they’re grateful for the good harvest. On the eve of the festival the children have their own celebration. They pretend to be a scarecrow who has been working on the fields all year and go from door to door asking people for a treat as a sort of payment.”

“You know,” Pimmie said, “I’ve been wondering where the tradition to wear a scarecrow costume came from.

“I don’t really know,” Pearl confessed.

“I think it’s a silly tradition, but it’s easy to get sweets when people think you look funny,” Vinca laughed.

“Pervinca, why do I hear you laughing?” Eglantine asked, sticking her head into the room. “You should be studying!”

“Oh, but I am, Mum. I just came across a particularly funny fraction, that’s all.”

At that, Pearl and Pimmie burst into a fit of laughter. Pippin had no idea why his big sisters were laughing, but joined in anyway. Eglantine had to laugh as well. She opened the door a bit further so she could step into the room.

“Mum, can I go too tomorrow?” Pippin asked eagerly, looking up at his mother.

“Go where?” His mother asked teasingly, knowing perfectly well what the child meant. “Yes love, you can,” she said, relenting at Pippin’s pleading look. “Your father already said he was willing to go with you.”

“Hurrah!” Pippin cheered, nearly falling from Pearl’s lap. “Can I be a scarecrow too, please?”

“Yes can he?” Vinca asked, just as enthusiastically,“I’m much too old to walk around in a frayed and patched up dress!”

“Well, we have some work to do, in that case,” Eglantine said cheerfully. “Pearl, if you take out the sewing equipment and the basket of leftover fabric, Pippin and I will go and fetch some clothes for his costume. Oh, and Pimmie, will you go to the barn to get some straw for the wig? Don’t forget to put on your coat, it’s chilly outside.”

A few minutes later everybody was busy working on Pippin’s costume. “Now all we have to do is teach Pippin the song. He won’t be getting many treats otherwise, Eglantine smiled.

All three Took sisters burst into song at once.

“Give this old scarecrow a treat,
Could be an apple or a sweet,
He has been working hard this year,
Filling the hearts of birds with fear,
And now, the harvest’s all but done
It’s time for him to have some fun.”

After they repeated the song a few times, Pippin was able to sing along. While his sisters worked diligently on his costume, Pippin kept chattering about what kind of treats he would get, which smials they would visit and how great his costume was going to look until, finally, he could try it on.

Eglantine helped her son into his shirt and breeches, which were now frayed at the edges and had all kinds of differently coloured patches sewed to them. She then put the wig on and stepped back to admire the result. “Wait, something’s missing,” she commented and left the room, to come back after a few seconds with an old felt hat, which she put over the wig.”

“Brilliant!” Vinca comment.

“You look very good, Pip,” Pearl smiled. “A real scarecrow.”

“And now it is time for this scarecrow to go to bed,” Eglantine said, “as it is long past his bedtime.”

Eglantine ushered Pippin out of the room and to his bedroom. When he passed the mirror he gave a little jump and fell backwards on the ground. He looked a little put off for a moment, but then he started to laugh.

“I guess I’m a really good scarecrow,” he grinned. “I even scared myself.”

Eglantine smiled indulgently at her young son and picked him up from the ground. “Come on, let’s get you undressed.”

After Pippin was tucked into bed and gave his mother a goodnight kiss, he looked one last time at the scarecrow costume hanging on the back of his chair. Just one more night’s sleep and then it would be the big day!

The End